Ship&#39;s propulsion device



H. MERTENS July 21, 1942.

. INVENTOR.

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- SHIPS PROPULSION DEVICE Filed Nov. 7, 19 11 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Egg-346 I N V EN TOR.

. eflrg Mel Z0115 BY @QZMAUK F TTORNE Y July 21, 1942. H. MERTENS SHIPSPROPULSION DEVICE Filed Nov. 7, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

Patented July 21, 1942 SHIPS PROPULSION DEVICE Henry Mertens, New York,N. Y., assignor to Emil Fries, New York, N. Y.

Application November '7, 1941, Serial No. 413,147

7 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful means for propelling ships orthe like craft, and it is the principal object of the invention toprovide suitably constructed, engine driven, automatically opening andclosing pressure blades on both sides of the ships stern which remainpermanently submerged.

The present, preferred means to propel ships or the like is thecustomary propeller or screw of manifold construction having any numberof blades of desired configuration and pitch. It is however, well knownto any marine engineer that such propellers or screws have manydisadvantages. Thus, the slip of the propeller, if a certain pressure isrequired to propel a ship at a given speed, will cause a considerableloss in driving speed and H. P., as well as waste of fuel.

All these disadvantages are positively overcome by my novel pressureblades increasing the driving efiiciency to the highest possible degree,and producing the most economical operation, while making every H. 19.,developed fully used in propulsion.

Another object of my invention is to provide a pressure plate or bladearrangement for the propulsion of water craft and combining therewith astabilizing means on the outside of the craft in contradistinction tothe usual stabilizers as balance tanks, gyroscopes or the like meansinstalled within the ships hull which by necessity must participate moreor less in the ships movements, while my stabilizers are provided on theoutside of the hull without however in any way decreasing the speed andthe draft.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a shippropelling system by means of pressure blades which allow moreover anefficient steering of the vessel if the rudder or steering gear isdamaged or out of order.

A further object of my invention is to provide a system of shipspropulsion allowing a readily acting and efficient lubrication.

A still further object of my invention is to provide such a system ofships propulsion adapted to be electrically operated from the bridge ofthe ship to effect an instantaneous change in the direction of thepropulsion.

My novel and useful propelling system for ships furthermore allows theuse of the blades as stabilizers supplementing the actual stabilizers onthe stern in order to alleviate and cushion strokes and stamping as wellas rolling experienced during heavy seas.

These and other objects andadvantages of my invention will become morefully known as the description thereof proceeds, and will then bespecifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, sectional top plan view of a ships sternequipped with the pressure blades arrangement and a stabilizer planeconstructed according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the pressure blades on a somewhatenlarged scale and showing the system of means for reversing theirdirection of operation.

Fig. 4 is a section on line @-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of one of the pressure bladesclosed and its operating means, on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 56 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view of a modified form of operating means.

As illustrated, the hull it of a ship has its stern ll specially shapedto allow the application of the stabilizing member l2 adapted toequalize the water pressure on top as well as below the member.

The propulsion of the ship is effected by means of two sets of bladesgenerally designated 13 and 14, one set on each side of the stern andoscillating with the shafts l5 and 15 respectively projecting from thestern on each side thereof.

Each set of blades is composed of pairwise arranged Wings, upper wingsl6, ll, and lower Wings l6, !9 respectively or vice versa according tothe timely position-during operation, and the wings of each pair haveobliquely disposed outer edges and straight inner edges. The latterbeing hinged, as at 26, 2| and 22, 23 respectively to a hollow, openshaft 24 having intermediate the pair of Wings of the upper and lowerwing arrangement a boss 25 secured to shafts l5 and I6 respectively. Theinner or closing movement of each pair of wings is limited by means ofthe substantially triangular members 26 secured to the shaft 24, whiletheir outer opening movements are limited by means of the straightmembers or elements 21 secured to the outer face of the shaft 24.

The pressure blades are preferably driven by means of a starboard enginegenerally designated S, and a larboard or port engine generallydesignated P, and the operating force may be steam, electricity orDiesel motive power etc.

The power plant is connected by the connecting rod 28 to the rock-shaft29 which is'preferably hollow for lubricating purposes as willhereinafter be more fully described.

The rock-shaft is suitably journaled in well lubricated bearings, whichare generally designated 36, and extends through the board walls of theship through water-tight packings 31 into the boss 25 of the shaft 24for the blades, which carries therein a gear 32 in mesh with thethreaded end 33 of the shaft 29.

Within the engine arrangement P a box or container 34, preferably filledwith a lubricant is arranged, and the end of shaft 29 extends into thisbox and carries therein a grease cup 35. Through the end wall of box 3.4extends, a

screw 36 the operation of which displaces the movable box sliding in itsframe P, while a collar 31' on the shaft 29 is located in an innerpartitioned off space of the frame 31 of the box. This screw extends tothe outside of the frame and carries there a large gear 38 and a handledfly wheel 39. The gear 38 meshes with a smaller gear 40 on the shaft ofan electric motor 4| which can be operated fromthe bridge of the ship.

In Fig. 7 I have illustrated a modified form of operating means for theshaft 29 connecting the same by means of a beam 32 or the like with theslides 43, 44, the rods of which operate the pistons 45, 46 within thestuffing boxes 41.

The operation of the propulsion according to my invention will beentirely clear from the above description by having simultaneousreference to the drawings, and it will be clear that upon operation ofthe slides 48, 49 by the starboard engine S and the port board engine Pof the ship, the rock shaft 29 will be imparted an oscillatory movementand the blades will participate in this oscillation, and when moving inthe direction of the arrow, Fig. 2 will be alternately opening andclosing, their movements being limited by the outer members 27 and bythe inner 2' members 26. The reversing of the operation can be effectedby the operation of the screw 31 either by hand using the hand-wheel 39or from the bridge by suitable electrical operation of the motor 4| sothat the shaft 29 being connected by its collar 31' to the sliding frameor box 34 will be compelled to follow the direction of oscillation andthus turn the blades in one or the other direction respectively. The box34 being filled with a lubricant will distribute the same through thebore in the shaft to its bearings and the boss 25 which is watertight.

In cases where the rudder of the ship has been lost or damaged and itsgear becomes out of order, the steering of the ship maybe effected bythe alternate operation of the starboard or port blade arrangementaccording to prevailing circumstances.

The rock shaft 29 is operated by the intermediary of the slide rods 50and 5| respectively which are connected to an eccentric on the drivingmachine.

It will be understood that I have described and shown the preferred formof my ships propulsion device as one example only of the many possibleways to practically construct the same, and that I may make such changesin the general arrangement of the device and in the construction of itsminor details as come within the scope of the appended claims withoutdeparture from the spirit of my invention and the principles involved.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

iii?

1. A craft propelling device comprising pairwise arranged engine drivenand automatically opening and closing pressure blades on both sides ofthe craft, means to stabilize the craft, means to lubricate theindividual elements of the device, and means to reverse the direction ofoperation of said pressure blades, said blades acting as emergency meansfor steering the craft and as stabilizers.

2. A ship propulsion device as described comprising a stabilizing platesurrounding the stern of the ship below the water line, and pressureplates acting as auxiliary stabilizing means and means to steer the shipin cases of emergency, means to secure said stabilizing plate to theship, and engine driven means to operate the pressure plates.

3. In a ship propulsion device as described, the combination of pressureblades with an engine driven rock shaft to which the shaft of saidpressure blades is secured, a hollow. cradle for said rockshaftincluding a lubricating box from which the lubricating means is spreadthrough the hollow shaft by means of a grease cup, a sliding frame insaid box having a compartment partitioned off, a collar on said shaftwithinsaid compartment, and means to, reverse the direction ofoscillations of said shaft.

4. In a ship propulsion device as described, sets of pairwise arrangedopening and closing pressure blades, means to limit their opening andclosing movements, and a, means to impart to said blades a reciprocatoryoscillating movement, said means comprising a rock-shaft, andconnections between said rock shaft and an eccentric on the shipsengine, a shaft for said pressure blades to be secured to an outerextension of said rockshaft, a boss on the shaft of said pressureblades, and a gear on said rock-shaft in mesh with the threaded wall ofsaid boss.

5. In a ship propulsion device as described, two sets of pairwisearranged opening and closing blades one set on each side of the stern,each of the blades of each pair having obliquely disposed outer edgesand straight inner edges, a common shaft for each set .of blades hollowand open, a boss on said shaft by means of which it is secured to arock-shaft,'hinges for. con-. necting the straight inner edges to saidshaft, substantially triangularly-shaped members secured to the innerface'of saidshaft to limit the inward or closing movements of theblades, and elongated outer members secured to the outer face of saidshaft to limit the outward movement of the blades, means to impart tosaidblades a reciprocatory oscillating movement during which one pair ofblades of each set is closed and the other open to propel the ship, anda separate drive for each set of blades.

6. In a ship propulsion device as described two sets of opening andclosing pressure blades, a rock-shaft to operate each set of pressureblades, bearings for said shaft, and lubrication distributing means tolubricate said shaft and bearings, a shaft for each set of blades, aboss on said shaft having a threaded inner wall, a gear on therock-shaft in .mesh with said threaded. wall, slides connected tosaidrockshaft and 'to an eccentric on the driving engine, and means toreverse the rotation of said rock-shaft and pressure blades to oscillatein different directions.

7. In a ship propulsion device as described, a rock-shaft, a support forsaid shaft including a box for the reception and distributionofjlubricant, a slide in said box having a partitioned off portion, acollar on said shaft in said portioned 01f portion, and a grease cupat'the end of said shaft in said box, a screw for operating said slideand collar to reciprocate the shaft in one direction and in the reverse,gears on said screw and a hand wheel to turn said screw, an electricmotor, a gear on the shaft of said motor in mesh with said screw gear toallow a reversing of the rocking direction of the rock-shaft from thebridge and. by use of the handwheel, manually, pressure blades operatedby the oscillations of said rock-shaft and allowing a steering of theship in cases of emergency, said pressure blades representing alsoauxiliary means for stabilizing said ship.

HENRY MERTENS.

